


Define the Relationship

by maddogkyouchan



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Didn't Know They Were Dating, Established Relationship, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, M/M, Post-Time Skip, Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:20:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24990694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maddogkyouchan/pseuds/maddogkyouchan
Summary: Tsukishima Kei has no idea how he got here in life.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Ushijima Wakatoshi
Comments: 16
Kudos: 285
Collections: Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020





	Define the Relationship

Tsukishima Kei has no idea how he got here in life.

Obviously, he understands most of it. Being a college senior, well, he’s worked hard the last few years- both to get into his university, and then to pass all his classes up until graduation. He knows how he continued volleyball and ended up on the Sendai Frogs, too. As for his job at the museum- well, that took his college connections and a strong interview, so he remembers that fairly clearly, too.

What he doesn’t understand, however, is waking up in the bed of Ushijima Wakatoshi, of the Schweiden Adlers. More than that, that this is a semi-regular occurrence. For the past few years.

He remembers how it started, as vague as it was. Ushijima had chased him down when their paths crossed as he headed home from Yachi’s one day- apparently he’d been out on a run from Shiratorizawa. It had been only a little while after they had beaten Shiratorizawa, and Ushijima practically cornered him. Of course, after all this time, he doesn’t remember exactly what was said, but it ended with Ushijima giving him his number.

Then, weeks later, Tsukishima had called him, curiosity finally getting to him. That was the start of- whatever this is. The first time they met after that phone call, made exclusively to set up a time and place to meet, was almost entirely silent, other than Tsukishima trying to prompt him into saying whatever was on his mind so he could just get this over with and never think about Ushiwaka again.

Instead, Ushijima had kissed him.

Tsukishima never asked why.

It became a routine for the rest of the school year- a phone call, a meeting, and kissing somewhere private. Tsukishima never took a step onto Shiratorizawa’s grounds, and in exchange, Ushijima was never welcomed into his own home.

It was never something he regretted, but there was an odd sort of emptiness to it. A meeting of needs- or maybe just wants, as things didn’t go further than kissing. An hour or two stolen away just for the sake of kissing someone he knew nothing about.

Then, after Ushijima’s graduation, Tsukishima naturally assumed that was the end of it. Ushijima was going into the world of professional volleyball, after all. He had no place in that life, not with how dangerous it could be for his career.

Except Ushijima kept calling. Then, when Tsukishima graduated high school and moved onto college, Ushijima got a new apartment closer to his school. Then he started spending more nights at Ushijima’s than his dorm room. And now he’s still here, in Ushijima’s bed, six years later, after having stayed over almost a week straight. It’s almost a waste to have his own apartment, he thinks, not for the first time, as he picks his glasses up off the nightstand and puts them on.

Ushijima is already awake, of course. The bastard goes on a run every morning, bright and early so he doesn’t get bothered by anyone who may recognize him. He wakes Tsukishima every time, kissing him despite his annoyed groans (and the occasional thrown pillow) and then going out.

Tsukishima gets to work on the next part of their routine now that Ushijima is long gone- dragging himself out of bed and heading to Ushijima’s spotless kitchen to start making coffee and setting up the rice cooker for the both of them. By now, his timing is impeccable, and the coffee is finishing just as Ushijima has returned.

“Thank you, Kei,” Ushijima says as he pours it into two mugs, sounding far too awake for Tsukishima’s taste. He stirs sugar and cream into one, and sets it down gently on the table in front of Tsukishima. Tsukishima picks it up and takes a sip. It’s perfect, as always.

Too perfect. He sets it down, feeling tired down to his bones. They know each other so well, after all this time, despite how little they talk. Ushijima bought a dinosaur mug for the apartment just for him after noticing the charms on his keychain. Tsukishima gave him a peace lily for his last birthday, knowing he missed caring for plants when his farming-related analogies became more frequent. Yet, he has no idea how Ushijima feels about him.

He’s not so insecure as to think that Ushijima doesn’t like him at all. However, _how_ does he like him? Just as someone to warm his bed? That seems unlikely as well. Why put so much effort into keeping someone around if you only want them physically? However, Ushijima has never kept his thoughts to himself. If he wanted more than that, he wouldn’t hesitate to say so. So where is the evidence- in Ushijima’s actions, or his silence? The thoughts wake him up further, and he finishes about half of his coffee before standing to make breakfast.

“Would you like any help?” Ushijima offers.

“Just reheat the miso soup from last night,” he tells him, as he gets out the eggs. Ushijima works around him easily. It’s just another part of their morning routine. It’s silent, other than the stove heating their food, until Tsukishima speaks up. “I think I’ll be heading home today.”

“Why is that?”

“I’ve been here for a while this time. I need to do laundry.”

“You could do laundry here, as well,” Ushijima points out. How utilitarian of him.

Tsukishima flips an egg over. “I left some papers I need there as well.”

“You could come back after getting them.” A second refusal…?

“You haven’t invited anyone over since I started staying here. I don’t want to be in the way if your team or your friends want to come by.”

Ushijima pours the soup into two bowls, not even looking up from his task as he responds this time. “Are you worried that I don’t want you around when others are?”

Tsukishima clicks his tongue in annoyance. “I’m not worried.”

“But you’re saying things like ‘I don’t want to be in the way’-”

The rice cooker goes off, and Tsukishima serves two portions into bowls. Ushijima’s is significantly larger, as Tsukishima still has his small appetite. He sets a fried egg on each before putting them on the table. “I’m not worried. But you bring people by when I’m not here, so I assume you enjoy their company. I don’t want you to think you can’t have people in your own apartment just because I’m here.”

“I don’t think that,” Ushijima says as he takes his seat. “I don’t bring them by for your convenience, but I don’t regret that.”

“I don’t understand,” Tsukishima tells him frankly, sitting across from him.

“I prefer having you here to anyone else. Thank you for the meal.”

“Thank you for the meal,” Tsukishima echoes before starting to eat. They fall into another silence, a more comfortable one this time.

To be placed as a higher priority than Kageyama, Hoshiumi, or Romero isn’t surprising. He knows that Ushijima and his team work well, but aren’t always the most social outside of practice and games. He thinks he’s spent more time with Kageyama in the past few years than Ushijima has.

However, for Ushijima to pick him over his old Shiratorizawa teammates is something he almost can’t believe. He has a weekly standing meetup with those who graduated with him, only missed in favor of games. Tsukishima has found evidence of Tendou or Semi having stayed at Ushijima’s more than a few times. For Ushijima to say he’d rather have Tsukishima here-

“Kei,” Ushijima interrupts his thoughts, and he lifts his head from his breakfast. “What do you think of this apartment?”

He blinks at him, a little startled by such an odd question. “It’s fine.”

“Just fine?”

“I don’t see why it needs to be anything more.”

“Then would you consider moving in?”

Tsukishima almost drops his bowl of soup. Luckily, he doesn’t, and he just sets it down more carefully. “How long have you thought about asking me that?” he questions in return.

“About a month. It seems a waste for you to pay rent on your apartment when you’re here most nights. We would need to decide whose furniture to keep-”

“Yours,” Tsukishima interrupts. “I’m not attached to any of mine, and it’ll be easier to get rid of it than move it over.”

Ushijima nods in acknowledgement before continuing. “And work out a schedule for watering the plants so nothing gets over- or under-watered.”

“I can continue to take over on days you have intensive practices or games.”

Another nod. “Then are you amenable to moving in?”

Tsukishima hums, considering it. Unfortunately… “I think there would be more problems to that than you think. Tadashi, for one, as he likes to stay over after we go drinking.”

“He could stay over here as well.”

He raises at eyebrow at him. “You think I should bring Tadashi by, Wakatoshi?”

Ushijima looks him right in the eye. “If it’s our apartment, you can bring people as you like.”

“But you offered to stop bringing people over. That’s rather unfair, and not in your favor,” he points out. His breakfast is completely forgotten at this point.

“Then we could come to an agreement on who we can bring home, and when. You’d like to bring your friend by on the nights you go out. I’d like to have Satori and Eita over once every few weeks.”

“And how do you plan to explain my presence to them?”

Ushijima’s expression changes then, to something closer to confusion. He sets his chopsticks down beside his bowl of rice. “Kei. Do you think I haven’t told people about you?”

‘What is there to tell’, he almost asks, but he doesn’t want to be caught out of the loop, so instead he sips his coffee, using it to take a moment to collect his thoughts. “Have you?” he asks instead.

“Yes. Have you not told anyone?”

“…I thought it was best for your career if I didn’t.” It feels like a weak excuse now, with the knowledge that Ushijima apparently finds it surprising that Tsukishima hasn’t told his friends about… whatever it is they have.

Ushijima frowns. “I told my PR team about you from the day I was signed. The team learned later, when I started bringing you up, but they all know.”

“That’s a lie,” Tsukishima counters. “Tobio has no idea. There’s no way he’d be able to keep his mouth shut.”

“…I doubt he’s put together that my Kei and his Tsukishima are the same. After all, I don’t call you by your last name in front of him.” It’s an unfortunately good point.

“But- why would you tell them about this so openly?” he scrambles, trying to find any opening, whatever could prove that Ushijima is lying- though, why he would feel the need to lie, Tsukishima has no idea, but surely this isn’t actually the truth.

“The PR team needed to know in case it got out to the public,” Ushijima answers. “And from there, it seemed pointless to keep it from the rest of the team. If they had a problem with my sexuality, I’d rather know up front than have it cause problems later.”

“Then… but…” alright, that all makes sense, but surely…? “What about your old team? Tendou-san, Yamagata-san, Semi-san-”

“They’ve known since high school.” At Tsukishima’s shocked expression, he explains further. “Reon was the one who pushed me to speak with you. Eita helped me decide to tell the team. Satori joined me when I went to look at rings last month.”

He can’t believe any of this, but especially- “…when you did… what?”

“…ah.” Ushijima folds his hands on the table. “I was going to bring that up after you decided on moving in.”

“Bring… what up, exactly? Explain it to me in detail, Wakatoshi.”

“We’ve been dating for six years now. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.” It sounds a little robotic- as if he’s memorized a speech, which, of course, is exactly how he would do this- Tsukishima feels like his brain is melting. _Dating?_ “I’d like us to start discussing further steps. Moving in officially, for instance, could be considered a prelude to marriage, though, with how often you’re here, I feel as though we’ve successfully weathered the potential stressors of living together.”

“…it’ll be different when we have nowhere to go to get away from each other,” he responds. It comes out sounding like a croak, and he clears his throat.

Ushijima seems curious again, maybe bridging on concern. “How often do you go to your apartment to get away from me?”

“I…” he tries to think of a single occasion. “I haven’t. But the option was always there. And now it won’t be. That’s a big step on its own.”

“I believe we can weather that. If we’ve been without problems for the last six years-” and he’s reminded, Ushijima called it _dating,_ Ushijima has considered them to be dating for years and never told him- “-we can continue that streak.”

Tsukishima swallows a few times, willing away the tightness in his throat. “…I’ll move in.”

“…are you too overwhelmed to discuss marriage at this time?”

He nods and picks up his bowl of soup again.

It’s not even legal in Japan, so why would Ushijima even consider marriage on the table? It’s a stupid thing to fixate on at a time like this, but Tsukishima thinks if he lets the relief sweep over him- the reassurance that not only does Ushijima like him, but he’s thought they were boyfriends all this time, that he’s told everyone in his life that matters that they’re seeing each other, that he’s gone _ring shopping_ with his best friend for him- he may actually start crying at the breakfast table.

How pathetic.

“Wakatoshi,” he says when he’s finished off the last of his breakfast. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Ushijima says without hesitation.

The next time he goes home to his apartment, almost two weeks later, it’s for the last time. Kageyama and Yamaguchi help him pack his things and get rid of his furniture. When he returns, for the first time, to _their_ apartment, Ushijima pulls a ring out of his pocket for Tsukishima’s approval.

He slides it on, feeling no more doubt.

**Author's Note:**

> ushitsukki indulgence. done for day 2 of shiratorizawa fanweek- cooking together/ring


End file.
